Home Tour: An artful young couple’s modern contemporary 4-room BTO at McNair Road

When it comes to this 4-room HDB home belonging to a young couple, a practical yet bold and modern aesthetic serves as the perfect canvas for showcasing art and statement pieces. The thoughtful integration of contemporary design elements with sophisticated dark finishes creates a harmonious living space that balances functionality with striking visual appeal, demonstrating how modern interior design can transform standard BTO floor plans into personalized sanctuaries.

4-room HDB along McNair Road

Located close to the bustling areas of Balestier, Kallang and Whampoa, this 4-room HDB flat in McNair Road has a bird’s eye view of the surrounding cityscape. The unit is home to two young professionals, a couple who share a love for art and design. When they received their keys, the owners already had an idea of what they wanted for their home: a modern space with textures and dark finishes. In their search for an interior designer, they got to know Joey Khu, who helms his eponymous interior design studio. Say the homeowners: “One of the main things we wanted was an open-concept kitchen with a long table, as long as it’s possible.”

HDB Dark interior design

Strategic lighting is essential in bringing out the textures, especially when working with a dark palette.

The carefully positioned lighting fixtures throughout the apartment highlight architectural details and create depth in the space, demonstrating how proper illumination can enhance rather than diminish the impact of darker color schemes in Singapore’s compact BTO apartments. Each light source has been thoughtfully selected to complement the sophisticated ambiance while ensuring the home remains practical and inviting.

Grafunkt Coffee Table

The owners picked out the Tracks coffee table by Folks, which they purchased from Grafunkt. The multi-layered table is a great conversation starter.

This statement furniture piece exemplifies how carefully curated designer furnishings can elevate a contemporary interior, adding visual interest and personality to the living area without overwhelming the space—a crucial consideration in modern apartment styling where balance between form and function determines the success of the overall design concept.

Bright unit with sunlight

The couple shared with interior designer Joey their preference for dark finishes, but they were concerned that the home might appear small. “I love dark colours too, and my projects do use them as well. What I do is make the first visit to my client’s place before finalising the materials. Their unit is quite bright, so dark colours are possible,” Joey shares.

He proposed finishes in smoky hues, including grey marble flooring and laminates in shades of grey for the living area. This strategic approach to incorporating darker tones demonstrates how professional interior design can overcome common misconceptions about dark color schemes in HDB apartments, using natural light advantages and thoughtful material selection to create spaces that feel expansive rather than confined.

Custom TV console

The television console in the living area is customised to fit the dimensions of the television wall, and its look gels with the modern interior. This bespoke carpentry solution showcases the importance of custom-built furniture in Singapore homes, where maximizing every square foot is essential while maintaining design coherence.

Stone-tiled backsplash

The stone-tiled backsplash from Hafary complements the rest of the home beautifully, illustrating how premium materials can create continuity throughout open-concept layouts while adding textural richness to contemporary interiors.

Open-concept kitchen

With the kitchen opened up, interior designer Joey was able to accommodate a dining table for six. The table was customised and then matched with Zartan Eco Stacking chairs from Xtra.

This seamless integration of dining and kitchen spaces epitomizes modern open-concept living, creating a versatile entertainment zone perfect for hosting gatherings while maintaining the sleek aesthetic that defines this contemporary BTO renovation. The thoughtful pairing of custom furniture with designer pieces reflects a sophisticated approach to interior styling that prioritizes both form and function.

Luxurious dark bathroom design

The master bathroom is decked out in dark brown finishes, evoking a soothing and sensual atmosphere.

The luxurious treatment of this private space demonstrates how modern bathroom design can transform utilitarian areas into spa-like retreats, with carefully selected materials creating a cohesive connection to the home’s overall design language while offering a distinctive sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Laminated panels in master bedroom

The customised master bedroom features laminated panels built with lighting in mind. The slim hanging lights are from Verde Light.

This attention to architectural lighting design enhances the room’s ambiance while showcasing the textures and contours of the custom wall treatments, illustrating how professional interior design can elevate standard BTO bedrooms into sophisticated personal retreats that balance aesthetic impact with practical functionality for everyday living.

Grey storage cabinet laminates

Another room is furnished with storage solutions in grey, with injections of turquoise. Niches and storage cabinets of various sizes bring visual interest to this space.

This thoughtful approach to secondary rooms demonstrates versatile BTO space planning, where creative storage solutions combine with strategic pops of color to create multi-functional areas that can easily adapt to changing needs—whether as a home office, guest room, or future nursery—without compromising on style or coherence with the apartment’s overall design concept.

Materials and finishing choices for the home

“The owners are particular about the materials and details,” Joey says. “What I loved was that they gave me a lot of freedom to make decisions on how to combine the finishes and conceptualise the feature walls and bathrooms.” The home, with its unique mix of details, is an intimate abode perfect for enjoying the city lights.

This successful collaboration between homeowners and interior designer exemplifies how professional design guidance can transform standard BTO floorplans into personalized luxury homes that reflect both current design trends and the owners’ individual tastes, creating spaces that will remain timeless and functional for years to come.